Welcome Pack or Pre-Paid for two rooms?

[Amiga]

I'm trying to set up a 60+ year old friend with the easiest and most affordable solution for television. The Welcome Pack looks attractive, but trying to get details on it is near impossible. Every time I call DISH, the CSRs put me on hold and/or I can't understand what they are saying to me, accent difficulties.

Does the Welcome Pack require a commitment? I thought I read that one had to buy equipment for the Welcome Pack $10 plan. Do you have to order this plan through DISH or can you get it with a third-party dealer?

Will DISH Pre-Paid work with something like a 222 receiver? I've seen refurbished 222s available for $180. The 222 seems attractive because it can handle OTA too. Otherwise, I guess two 301s and using the Green Dot MoneyPak card is the way to go. On another note, one television would be used rarely for guests.

The main goal is as little contractual commitment to DISH and also the cheapest basic plan. I know things can be added on here and there, but it all adds up for a retiree.

 

[garys]

I'm trying to set up a 60+ year old friend with the easiest and most affordable solution for television. The Welcome Pack looks attractive, but trying to get details on it is near impossible. Every time I call DISH, the CSRs put me on hold and/or I can't understand what they are saying to me, accent difficulties.

Does the Welcome Pack require a commitment? I thought I read that one had to buy equipment for the Welcome Pack $10 plan. Do you have to order this plan through DISH or can you get it with a third-party dealer?

Will DISH Pre-Paid work with something like a 222 receiver? I've seen refurbished 222s available for $180. The 222 seems attractive because it can handle OTA too. Otherwise, I guess two 301s and using the Green Dot MoneyPak card is the way to go. On another note, one television would be used rarely for guests.

The main goal is as little contractual commitment to DISH and also the cheapest basic plan. I know things can be added on here and there, but it all adds up for a retiree.

Not sure about the welcome package. But the pre-paid will only work with single tuner sd receivers, the 222 cannot be used. You would not be able to order ppv's or get local or HD packages with it.

 

[boba]

Prepaid is only 1 receiver and restricked to receivers specifically dedicated to the program. You can't just buy a 301 and then order Prepaid even though 301s are used in program. The welcome pak is basic programming with the restriction that you buy and install the equipment. You would probably be better off with a commitment and Family pak programming.

 

[STEELERSRULE]

I'm trying to set up a 60+ year old friend with the easiest and most affordable solution for television. The Welcome Pack looks attractive, but trying to get details on it is near impossible. Every time I call DISH, the CSRs put me on hold and/or I can't understand what they are saying to me, accent difficulties.

Does the Welcome Pack require a commitment? I thought I read that one had to buy equipment for the Welcome Pack $10 plan. Do you have to order this plan through DISH or can you get it with a third-party dealer?

Will DISH Pre-Paid work with something like a 222 receiver? I've seen refurbished 222s available for $180. The 222 seems attractive because it can handle OTA too. Otherwise, I guess two 301s and using the Green Dot MoneyPak card is the way to go. On another note, one television would be used rarely for guests.

The main goal is as little contractual commitment to DISH and also the cheapest basic plan. I know things can be added on here and there, but it all adds up for a retiree.

To get the 222/ or 322(might be better for your 60+ gentleman if he does not want HD) or the Welcome pack/Family Pack, you would have to commit to Dish. Probably 2 years in the least. You could get your local channels through dish($5/month), and have access to PPV, VOD, Local Sports Network Affiliate(Fox Sports Whatever, MSG, NESN, etc....) depending on where you live, of course.

I think this is the way for you to go for your 60+ old friend, since it would be the easiest way to go. And most people 60+ and over like to watch their local news/PBS stations with little or no problems.

But I would look at the lineups for both the Welcome pack, and the Family Pack. They differ in price.

Welcome Pack $9.99/month($15 for Welcome pack and locals). Family Pack is $19.99/month($25 for Family pack and locals).

But in each package there are different channels available. Some are the same, but some are different.

He may find the Welcome pack more accustomed to his viewing habits, and get the smaller package, but he watches more of the channels in it.

It will all be based on his tastes.

You can go this way, save the most money, and be happy.

Or, you can go Free for All. Buy the equipment up front(a 322 for two rooms, and a Dish 500 since that wold seem all he would need), get it installed, and not have any commitment to Dish for anything.

I still think the first way I described is the way to go.

The Dish prepaid takes some knowhow, and he probably would be P'od if he realized he would have to get his local channels via an antenna since they are not offered through prepaid.

And then to boot, he would need either a digital converter, or a Digital TV with the tuners(ATSC/QAM for cable) built in come Feb. 2009 in order to receive the channels digital/HD via an antenna(ATSC).

 

[Agonizing Fury]

Note that DHA (Digital Home Advantage, the program where you lease receivers) DOES NOT require a contract! Everyone seems to think that it does as, I imagine, a retailer gets significantly more money for getting you into a 24 month contract. You will not get any rebates, or special deals, but you should still be able to get DishFamily w/locals and a 322 leased with only the activation fee up front, and no installation fees or commitment. AFAIK, if you are interested (and your 60 yr old family member is of sound mind with electronics) you can even get the 625 under a no commitment option without additional up front fees (still have the $6 DVR fee though)